Trans man makes history with Mr. Gay Philadelphia victory

A man made history over the weekend by becoming the first trans winner of Mr. Gay Philadelphia.

Lou Cutler, 33, beat 13 other contestants to the prize in the early hours of Sunday morning (June 22).

Speaking to Philly Mag about his victory, Lou said: “It means a lot to me. It’s kind of hard to be a gay trans man sometimes. But I’m very proud of who I am, and I’ve worked very hard to become who I am.

“This, in some sense, is a dream come true for me. To be able to be part of this community, and also represent my own community—and to just be visible.

“It’s important for me to be out and visible as gay and trans, to show the community that not every trans person is the same,” he added.

The competition – which took place at the city’s Field House – involved the contestants taking to the stage in casual wear and swimwear, before answering questions from the judges.

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